Service-learning as a curricular strategy for achieving public health core competencies: The Health Disparities Service-Learning Collaborative

Despite major advances in health care and health status in the 21st century, disparities persist between whites and people of color - creating one of the most pressing social justice issues facing America today. Schools and graduate programs of public health - with their roles in educating public health professionals, conducting public health research and applying knowledge to solve public health problems - have a unique and important role to play in eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities.

Coordinated by Community-Campus Partnerships for Health with funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Health Disparities Service-Learning Collaborative aims to:

*Engage public health students in sustained, longitudinal service-learning experiences that make a substantial contribution to reducing health disparities and equip them with core public health competencies.

*Engage public health faculty members in sustained, longitudinal service-learning and participatory research partnerships with community partners that make a substantial contribution to reducing health disparities and allow them to meet promotion and tenure expectations.

*Build the capacity of schools and graduate programs of public health and community partners to develop authentic partnerships and collaboratively implement effective service-learning programs that aim to reduce health

disparities.

Collaborative components include grants to seven schools and graduate programs of public health and professional development through teleconferences, workshops and training institutes. During this presentation, we report on progress toward achieving the Collaborative's goals, with a focus on service-learning as a curricular strategy for achieving public health core competencies, particularly related to working at the level of the social determinants of health.